People are becoming more and more aware of the benefits of probiotics. Back in the 1940’s when “safe” antibiotics were introduced into the world, most people had a very uninformed mentality about bacteria in general. Most didn’t recognize the extreme importance of the friendly bacteria living in our own bodies. The term “bacteria” was more often than not used to describe something bad and disease causing. We know better now, however! It is actually the friendly, life-sustaining bacteria which are in and on us that keep our bodies functioning and thriving. Without them we would not exist, and without them the bad bacteria would have no checks and balances. Our digestive systems especially rely heavily on friendly probiotic bacteria to aid in digestion and assimilation of our food, as well as in the production of certain vitamins that are necessary for our health such as Vitamin K and B Vitamins. Picture for a moment if you can the immense number of cells that it takes to make up the human body. Now try to grasp the fact that there are 20 times more bacteria in and on us than actual human cells! This is billions upon billions of bacteria. Yes, there is more to us than what meets the eye.
There are a lot of probiotic products out there now in pretty much every supplement department. Even ads in fairly mainstream magazines are reaching out and promoting these products. Some are of good quality, and others you might as well not bother taking at all. The bacteria in these supplements must be able to safely pass through the stomach in order to reach our intestines and do their thing. It is very important to choose probiotics which are actually viable. One of my favorite ways of ensuring that i am feeding my system healthy probiotics is to get them through cultured foods. Because the probiotics are in a food-based medium, i feel they are very easy for the body to recognize, and its a very natural and easy way of acquiring them. Also, the food itself is incredibly easy to digest because it has been “predigested” by the friendly life giving bacteria, and is therefore an instant source of energy and nutrients.
Cultured foods that are great on a raw vegan diet include homemade sour krauts and kimchis, unpasteurized miso, traditionally brewed unpasteurized kombucha, unpasteurized vinegars such as apple cider vinegar or coconut vinegar, and coconut or nut/seed based yogurts and cheeses made with a controlled ferment. Coconut yogurt and berries for breakfast is a to die for combination and will provide sustained energy with healthy fatty acids and amino acids from the coconut, as well as slow releasing sugars and loads of antioxidants and bioflavinoids from the berries. Add some cacao nibs and raw honey for an additional pep in your step.
It is actually very easy to make your own simple cultures at home! Here is a great recipe for a basic coconut yogurt that can be used as a base for other recipes. Experiment and enjoy!
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